Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Proposing amendments seems to be a popular activity today, so I should probably hold off for now. However, I have been holding off on a particular matter since April 2016, namely, the appointment of a consultant sarcoma specialist at St. Vincent's hospital. Following meetings with patients, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, agreed to the creation of this post. One of those meetings was attended by members of the hospital board, who had not been invited. Since then, we have had a lot of heel dragging. The post was offered to somebody who decided, after two and a half years, to decline it, even though it is custom and practice that posts be taken up within three months. In the meantime, there is no specialist available for patients suffering from sarcoma, which is a terminal illness that requires specialist input.The specialist we had, Dr. Bertuzzi, was sent packing. I do not mind saying that there is nefarious stuff going on in St. Vincent's Hospital. I am sure they will come down quite heavily on me but self-interest is evident. I would like the Minister to come to the House to address those concerns. I would like to ask him why this post has been languishing for so long when so many of the sufferers who pleaded for it have passed away. Many other young people are now diagnosed with this condition.